Leucine Rich Bio has announced the launch of the upgraded BugSpeaks Skin Microbiome Test 2026 Edition. The company is ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 17025:2017 certified. The new report builds on the 2025 version. It enables greater understanding and action regarding skin wellness due to metagenomic analysis.
The 2026 version enhances metagenomic analysis from five primary factors to 11 skin traits. These include collagen production, ceramide production, elasticity maintenance, pH maintenance, moisture retention, epidermal integrity, antioxidant defense, photoprotection and resilience, sebum regulation, inflammation tendency, and reactivity and tolerance. The traits map into 5 holistic skin impacts. These are barrier strength, hydration status, sensitivity profile, repair and recovery, and ageing and preservation. Results appear on an integrated visual scorecard.
“The 2026 upgrade reflects our commitment to translating complex microbiome science into practical tools for better skin health,” said Dr Debojyoti Dhar, Co-Founder and Director, Leucine Rich Bio.
“We incorporated deeper functional metagenomic potential across multiple microbial kingdoms. We also refined population benchmarking. This enables more precise recommendations for individuals and practitioners alike” opined Kumar Sankaran, CEO and Co-founder, Leucine Rich Bio
The test uses high-throughput microbial DNA sequencing of a simple skin swab. It evaluates bacterial, fungal, archaeal, viral, and eukaryotic kingdoms. It also provides detailed pathogen characterisation and risk profiles. Results use a new 3-bin and 7-bin population scale system. Bin 4 serves as the optimal “bullseye” benchmark against healthy reference populations.
The report offers a full personalisation engine. It includes tailored recommendations for primary topical ingredients, natural topical extracts, topical probiotic lysates, oral probiotics, and dietary guidance. This will benefit skin-conscious consumers interested in anti-aging and prevention. This will also be helpful for dermatologists and aesthetic centers that require objective information to offer treatments. Skincare formulations can also be developed that do not harm the microbiome.